ANN ARBOR — Michigan's national title celebration came and went Saturday with no clarity from its two biggest names.
Head coach Jim Harbaugh and quarterback JJ McCarthy declined to discuss their futures with the program Saturday, choosing to keep the focus on the moment.
Harbaugh, McCarthy and the rest of the Wolverines were front and center during the afternoon, on a packed parade route that wound through Michigan's campus, and again at night for a post-show celebration in front of a sold-out Crisler Center.
Throughout the day, fans chanted “one more year” at McCarthy — a chant heard frequently this week — and offered Harbaugh words of encouragement. Michigan's coach received one of the loudest applause of the evening, and his future was the subject of athletic director Ward Manuel's opening comments.
“I'm going to answer the question I've heard about 500 times on the parade route,” Manuel told the crowd, motioning to Harbaugh sitting nearby. “I'm working on getting this guy a new contract, I promise.”
In fact, Michigan has already extended a new contract to Harbaugh — a lucrative long-term deal that would make him the highest-paid coach in the Big Ten. The school is waiting for his signature.
Story + pictures: Harbaugh, UM football parades through Ann Arbor
A Saturday report from NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero said Harbaugh, 60, is expected to speak with the Los Angeles Chargers next week about the vacant head coach position. There is also interest from the Las Vegas Raiders.
Harbaugh, who has just three years remaining on his current deal that guarantees him more than $7 million annually, has not fully committed to Michigan long-term. He dodged questions about his future in the week before the Rose Bowl, before and after the Wolverines' national title win over Washington, and never brought it up on Saturday.
The same goes for McCarthy, the Big Ten quarterback of the year, whose future is still up in the air. He told reporters on Saturday that he expects to make his decision on Sunday, one day before the underclassmen's announcement deadline on Monday.
McCarthy still has another year of college eligibility left and could opt to return to the Wolverines, but that would come amid a depleted roster. More than a dozen Michigan players have officially announced plans to declare for the NFL Draft, or have indicated plans to do so, and there could be more on the way, paving the way for a different-look roster in 2024.
Meanwhile, McCarthy is considered a first-round pick in this year's NFL draft, with several national analysts ranking him among the top five quarterbacks available.
“I just want to take us back to November 15 — the year was 2020,” McCarthy told a crowd of supporters inside the Crisler Center. “I asked you guys via Twitter to take some deep breaths. Trust that every man and woman inside Schembechler Hall was doing everything they could to be great and return Michigan to leaders and better. I can't thank you enough for placing your unwavering trust in us,” To be who we are today – leaders and the best.
After the ceremony, event officials escorted McCarthy away, encouraging him not to answer any questions thrown his way. There's a decision coming — likely from McCarthy before Harbaugh — one way or another.
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